Skyrim: Elder Scrolls My story
by WrittenInShadow
Summary: Niki's climb into power began one the day dragons returned to Skyrim. As she learns what she is, she also finds out what she's capable of. Friendships matter to her, as they help with her rise to power. This is the story of her journey. ((Aka, a written version of my gameplay))
**Niki**

I become aware of movement. Mainly mine as I'm slightly jolted to the side. The sound of heavy hoof-steps and snorting awakens me further. Blinking my eyes open, I find myself in the back of a carriage. "Hey, you. You're finally awake." Comes a voice. A Nord? I stretch and glance around.

Trees surround the carriage on all sides. My dark grey ears twitch in confusion. That's when I notice three men in the carriage with me. Stormcloaks. The Nord in front of me catches my attention.

"You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there." I glance at the man he nods to. The dark, short-haired man glares at him. "Damn you Stormcloaks. Skyrim was fine until you came along. Empire was nice and lazy." He scoffs. "If they hadn't been looking for you, I could have stolen that horse and be halfway to Hammerfell." I dye my binds. Trying to remember how I had gotten caught. "You there! You and me - we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants." I was about to agree when the first Nord speaks up. "We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." A low growl in my throat is cut off by the Imperial soldier driving our carriage. "Shut up back there." I hiss silently at him.

"What's wrong with him, huh?" I glance at who the thief is talking about. The third man with us has not just bind on his hands, but a cloth-gag in his mouth as well. "Watch your tongue! You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King." Snaps the first Nord. My ears prick up in surprise. "Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion." The thief shakes his head in disbelief. "But if they've captured you...Oh gods, where are they taking us?!"

The first Nord sighs. "I don't know where we're going, but Sovngarde awaits." The thief holds his head in his hands, mumbling. "No, this can't be happening...This isn't happening!" I glare at my surroundings, eyeing any possible escape. The first Nord nudges him. "What village are you from, horse thief?" The thief scoffs. "Why do you care?" The man in front of me smiles sadly. "A Nord's last thoughts should be of home." The thief gave a heavy sigh before replying. "Rorikstead. I'm...I'm from Rorikstead." _Home_. I stare at the floor of the carriage, my mind wandering back to before I ended up here.

I had so many plans...so many things I wanted to do. That one slip up and now I was on my way to the place of my demise. The scene that played in my head drown out the world around me, taking me back.

I was headed for Whiterun, the plan to climb higher to my goal of power growing with each step. I had taken a shortcut...a simple mistake on my part as a sudden drop has me slip and rolling down a small cliff. At the bottom, after managing to sit up and straighten myself, I found a group of Stormcloaks hiding out in some well hidden campsites. A few ways down, a stable sat isolated by trees. Before I could make my way past the Stormcloaks, a hit to the back of the head rendered me unconscious. I growl at my stupidity, my lack of keeping my guard up.

A voice snaps me back to being in a carriage. "General Tullius, sir! The headsman is waiting!" As we enter a village, I feel the thief stiffen. "Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh. Divines, please help me." He trembles slightly. I almost feel pity for him.

The Nord in front of me snorts. "Look at him, General Tullius, the Military Governor." I glare at the general. "And it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn Elves. I bet they had something to do with this!" I growl.

The Nord looks around the village, surprise striking his face. "This is Helgen. I use to be sweet on a girl from here." He sighs. "I wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with the juniper berries mixed in..."

I sit back, no longer wanting to escape. If this is how it ends for me, so be it. Villagers mumble around us, curiousness as well as fear coming off them in waves. I watch as the chopping block comes into view.

The carriage comes to a stop and the Imperial guards begin to file us off. "Why are we stopping?" The thief trembles. The Nord's eyebrows crease. "Why do you think?" He nods towards the block caked in dry blood. "End of the line." He glances at me. I return his calm stare. "Let's go. Shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us." I silently snort.

The thief shouts. "No! Wait! We're not rebels!" I head my head at him as the Nord, now behind me, calms him. "Face your death with some courage, thief." The thief ignores that. "You've got to tell them! We weren't with you! This is a mistake!" The sudden impulse to kick the baby-of a man off the carriage is almost tempting.

I hop off the carriage, the feeling of gravel beneath my bare feet somewhat comforting. The Imperial captain steps toward us. "Step towards the block when we call your name. One at a time." She commands.

The Nord sighs. "Empire loves their damn lists."

A man clears his throat. "Ulfric Stormcloak. Jarl of Windhelm." Ulfric strides towards the block with a calm air. "It has been an honor, Jarl Ulfric." The Nord nods. The man glances at the list again. "Ralof of Riverwood." The Nord beside me glances at me and we share a brief nod before he walks away. "Lokir of Rorikstead." The man says. The thief dash over to him. "No! I'm not a rebel. You can't do this!" Before anyone can move, Lokir runs. The Imperial Captain shouts. "Halt!"

Lokir doesn't stop. "You're not gonna kill me!" As he runs, an archer lines up an arrow. The Captain nods. Lokir is shot straight through the head, landing with a thud to the ground. I shake my head. Stupid. The Captain glares at me. "Anyone else feel like running?" I return her glare. "She nods to the man. "Hadvar, continue."

The man with the list eyes me. "Wait. You there. Step forward." I obey the command. "Who are you?"

I stand my ground with a steely gaze. "My name is Niki." My tail lashes in impatience. He raises an eyebrow. "You with one of the trade caravans, Khajiit?" I remain silent. "Your kind always seems to find trouble." I hiss at that, making him flinch. He clears his throat. "Captain, what should we do? She's not on the list?" The Imperial Captain waves his comment away. "Forget the list. She goes to the block!" Hadvar nods. "By your orders, Captain." He glances at me. I'm sorry. We'll make sure your remains are returned to Elsweyr." I growl at him. _I don't need your pity!_ He nods towards the chopping block. "Follow the Captain, prisoner." I go to stand beside a random prisoner.

All attention seems to be on the Jarl. "Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a hero. But a hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to murder his King and usurp his throne." Says General Tullius. My ear twitches. "You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the Empire is going to put you down and restore the peace." I roll my light blue eyes. Before the Captain can give an order, a loud, distant roar echoes from them mountain. "What was that?" Asks a Hadvar. Tullius shakes his head. "It's nothing. Carry on." The Captain bows. "Yes, General Tullius!" She nods to the Priestess. "Give them their last rites."

The Priestess raises her hands to the sky. "As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you, for you are the salt and earth of Nirn, our beloved-" She's cut of by a Stormcloak prisoner. "For the love of Talos, Shut up and let's get this over with."

The Priestess nods with a glare. "As you wish." The prisoner snaps. "Come on! I haven't got all morning." A soldier walks over and firmly shoves the prisoner down, lowering his head to the block. I watch, stunned as the prisoner just laughs. "My ancestors are smiling at me, Imperials. Can you say the same?"

The Headsman raises his axe. Before I can even think about looking away, the axe meets its mark, slices the prisoner's head off clean through.

I let a silent rush of air escape me. The soldier kicks the prisoners decapitated body off the block. "You Imperial bastards!" Shouts a female prisoner. "Justice!" Yells a male villager. Murmurs and shouts begin around me. I flatten my ears to drown out the noise. Ralof sighs at the body from beside me. "As fearless in death as he was in life." The Captain turn to us. "Next, the cat!" I turn to Rolof. He smiles sadly.

Before anyone can move, another loud roar echoes through the sky, sounding closer. "There it is again. Did you hear that?" Asks Hadvar. The Captain glares. "I said, next prisoner!"

Hadvar nods to me. "To the block, prisoner. Nice and easy." I take a deep breath and step towards the block.

Scenarios, means of escape flash through my head. As I kneel, my plans fly through my mind once more, making me almost regret not running like Lokir did. I feel a firm push on my back, lowering me tow the block.

The urge to stare at the sky overcomes me, and I turn my head to glance at the cloud dotted blue vastness. As the Headsman raises his axe, another thunderous roar shakes the air. "What is Oblivion is that!?" Shouts Tullius. The Captain glances around. "Sentries! What do you see?" A soldier calls back. "It's in the clouds!"

A large creature lands on the stone tower beside us, trembling the ground. My eyes widen.

A female soldier screams. "DRAGON!" Swords unsheath. I strain against my binds, glancing up. The dragon and I lock eyes.

A firm tug on my mind and a pull from within me leaves me stunned for a moment. The dragon rears its head and roars at me. As thunder booms around us, foreign words whisper in my ears. I shake my head to find chaos had begun. Archers began to shoot at the creature. Soldiers were singing swords. I pull at my binds again. General Tullius shouts about another loud roar from the dragon. "Don't just stand there! Kill that thing!" The dragon takes this chance to take off into the sky.

A headache pound at my mind, my vision blurs. I shake my head, slowly standing. Ralofs' voice brings me back. "Hey, Khajiit! Get up! Come on, the gods won't give us another chance!" I blink, my vision returning and I follow Ralof into a nearby structure.

Guards shouting from outside become muffled as Ralof slams the door shut.

"Jarl Ulfric! What is that thing? Could the legends be true?" The Jarl shakes his head. "Legends don't burn down villages." The dragon roars in the distance. "We need to move. Now!" Ulfric shouts.

"Up through the tower! Let's go!"

Ralof and I run up the stairs, followed by Ulfric. Suddenly, the dragon blasts through the stone wall up the stairs. "Get back!" I brace myself against the wall as the beast breaths fire through the hole, then flies off.

The hole opens up to reveal a building a few feet away. "The Inn on the other side. Jump through the roof and keep going!"

I steady myself and run, taking a huge leap into the attic of the building. Ralof and Ulfric follow, but I lose them in the smoke.

Hadvars' voice shouts above the noise, giving orders. He spots us. "Still alive, prisoner? Keep close if you want it to stay that way!" I hiss at him, but does as he says. The dragon roars overhead. "Stay close to the wall!" Hadvar shouts.

We watch as the dragon lands on a house, setting another one to flames. "Come on!" He commands. We run past archers and soldiers. Burning buildings and injured people. "Stay close." He calls. Ralof appears from another path. "Ralof! You damned traitor. Out of my way!" Hadvar snaps. Ralof nods to me. I nod back. "We are escaping, Hadvar. You are not stopping us this time." Hadvar glares as I move to stand beside Ralof. "Fine! I hope that dragon takes you all to Sovngarde!" Screams from fight ring in my ears as Ralof and I make our way to the keep.


End file.
